Rating: 
Summary: Once is more than enough
Review: A travel book can have a dislikable narrator and still be an enjoyable reading experience (i.e. Dervla Murphy's "The Ukimwi Road" - see my review - or any of Paul Theroux's productions). But since "Nothing to Declare" is more of an "inner journey" than a road trip, the author is pretty much the whole show. And by the last page, I was very glad to part company with her.She spends a lot of time stoically lamenting the cruelty of men - both solo and accompanied by her neighbor, a veritable poster child for oppressed Latina womanhood. But judging by the shabby way Morris treats the Mexican man who dotes on her (i.e. sniffing at his enthusiasm for domestic chores while chasing other men at the drop of a hat), her relationship problems would seem to be mostly her fault. This sort of hypocrisy appears throughout the book. Although her only reason for coming to Mexico is to escape the shambles of her life north of the border, she sneers at the other expatriates living in San Miguel - "writers and painters, or so they call themselves", "losers", "mediocre Americans". She blithely claims to be in contact with ghosts and prefers not to waste her palm-reading ability (!) on the unworthy, yet wishes a New Age healer she consults would "skip the mumbo jumbo". I won't deny the author's writing skills succeeded in holding one's interest. And judging by the comments here (and the fact that it's still in print after a decade - no mean feat), more than a few people have responded to this book. But I won't be travelling with Mary Morris again.
Rating: 
Summary: tainted excellence
Review: Having traveled to Mexico, to places like Agua Azul and Merida, I can really indentify with Ms. Morris' account of her life in South America. All of the general details are true, of course, but the author is quite a unique women, and though I think her memoirs are a must-read, she seems to be a person who remains a mystery to herself, and I wonder how and why she ever made some of the journeys she did under the conditions she had to endure. I suppose she is the ultimate journalist: able to get to the heart of others while never shining the light directly into her own being. A thoroughly engrossing and transcendant read!
Rating: 
Summary: This is Mexico
Review: Having traveled to Mexico, to places like Agua Azul and Merida, I can really indentify with Ms. Morris' account of her life in South America. All of the general details are true, of course, but the author is quite a unique women, and though I think her memoirs are a must-read, she seems to be a person who remains a mystery to herself, and I wonder how and why she ever made some of the journeys she did under the conditions she had to endure. I suppose she is the ultimate journalist: able to get to the heart of others while never shining the light directly into her own being. A thoroughly engrossing and transcendant read!
Rating:
Summary: A Womans tale
Review: I really enjoyed this book. The story is definetly written from a womans point of view and I was able to relate quite well. I highly recomend this story as the tale of a moment in time as seen through a womans eyes in Central America.
Rating:
Summary: A Womans tale
Review: I really enjoyed this book. The story is definetly written from a womans point of view and I was able to relate quite well. I highly recomend this story as the tale of a moment in time as seen through a womans eyes in Central America.
Rating:
Summary: Mediocre Travel Writing
Review: I was not so impressed with this novel and felt that the author was too caught up in her own drama to take the reader on an interesting voyage with her. It was a decent read, but I can't say that I would highly recommend it. To read a great book about a woman traveling, check out Rita Goldman Gelman.
Rating:
Summary: An intensely personal journey of Mexico and of a woman.
Review: Mary Morris' intensely personal memoir of her time spent living in Mexico resonates with honesty and beauty on every page. Morris captures the essence of the trials and joys of a woman travelling alone while at the same time revealing an insider's look at the true modern culture of Mexico. Her vivid descriptions of the small village where she spends almost a year are so vivid that even a person who has never been to Mexico will feel that they know it like a friend's backyard. The characters are not characters but people--people who think and live and grow throughout the book just as they would in real life. Morris has a unique ability to not only be able to search her own soul in prose but that of other's as well, with seemingly unfailing accuracy. The intertwining of her inner journey with the story of her physical journey is faultlessly crafted and expressed. I reread this book every few months and am moved to tears and laughter everytime. It, and Mary Morris' other travel works, are essential reading for any traveller and absolutely necessary for any woman who ever has or ever plans to travel alone.
Rating:
Summary: Woman in San Miguel de Allende
Review: Morris reminds me of people I've met travelling; rootless, wanting too much, searching everywhere for adventure. This book is about her trip to Mexico, alone, where she writes, thinks, loves, and makes various friends, whom she knows she will leave. In this book there's the transient community of the ageless twenty-something, who turns thirty and is still searching for everything she doesn't have, the lessons that come from simple living, and no resolution
Rating:
Summary: Morris' Memoirs Make Perfect Travel Buddy
Review: Morris' tales of traveling solo in Central America were the perfect accompaniment to my own solo trip in Indonesia. Although Morris taps directly into the surreal, magical heart of Latin American culture, her concerns echo the thoughts and dreams of women travelers everywhere. Each chapter can often be read in one sitting; any one of these vignettes stands beautifully on its own as a complete short story. A gem of a book, this would be the perfect gift for a woman embarking on any sort of journey.
Rating:
Summary: Morris' Memoirs Make Perfect Travel Buddy
Review: Morris' tales of traveling solo in Central America were the perfect accompaniment to my own solo trip in Indonesia. Although Morris taps directly into the surreal, magical heart of Latin American culture, her concerns echo the thoughts and dreams of women travelers everywhere. Each chapter can often be read in one sitting; any one of these vignettes stands beautifully on its own as a complete short story. A gem of a book, this would be the perfect gift for a woman embarking on any sort of journey.
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